Purpose:

  • The purpose of this study is to design and conduct a rigorous evaluation of the impact of the Job Corps pilot program, the Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy, of the youth served. Cascades will serve high school drop-outs and unemployed youth ages 16 to 21. The pilot aims to provide expanded and intensive academic instruction, career pathways technical training, and non-cognitive skills training in two industry sectors, Health Care and Information Technology.

Research Questions:

  • What impacts does the Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy pilot program have on the outcomes of participants?
  • To what extent do impacts vary across selected subpopulations?
  • Do different strategies or components appear promising?
  • How was the program implemented? What factors influenced implementation? What challenges did the program face in implementation and how were those challenges overcome? What implementation practices appear promising for replication?

Key Components:

  • Develop knowledge base and evaluation design recommendations
  • Conduct and impact and implementation evaluation

Project Duration: 6 Years

Contract End Date: May 2021

Contractor: ABT Associates and MDRC

For More Information: ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.gov

 

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy. CEO’s research development process includes extensive technical review at the design, data collection and analysis stage, including: external contractor review and OMB review and approval of data collection methods and instruments per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to ensure studies adhere to the highest ethical standards, review by academic peers (e.g., Technical Working Groups), and inputs from relevant DOL agency and program officials and CEO technical staff. Final reports undergo an additional independent expert technical review and a review for Section 508 compliance prior to publication. The resulting reports represent findings from this independent research and do not represent DOL positions or policies.